Since it seems that Bilbo and Thorin share at least one scene inside Erebor where they are not worried about being attacked by Smaug, there is a way to end DOS that satisfies the need for a conclusion and for Smaug to be in the last two films. In DOS we could see the attack on Laketown from the perspective of the dwarves/Bilbo as they watch from Erebor (Perhaps there could be some kind of telescope device on Ravenhill to allow for this) and then in TABA we could see the Laketown attack from Bard's perspective. It would be reminiscent of Gandalf's fall in FOTR vs. the opening scene of TTT.

Please re-post in the DOS ending thread a few threads down (link inside)
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